Refuse can bottle crusher

ABSTRACT

A garbage can incorporating a lid having a bottle crusher built thereinto, the bottle crusher incorporating a receptacle into which a bottle is receivable and held by a bottle holder after which a plunger drives ram against the bottle to crush the same, the broken bottle droping into the garbage can.

[ June 6,1972

Elite States Leeds et al.

References Cited S T. u N m E u T m A P m S E m T m A e T. d S n D A W m U 9 m 6 0 5 2 ww/m E- Na b an x n mma .m Qm P a BL S m m m n yf .r E mn m n mm 3m KP6 m. o t n e v .m n U Primary ExaminerAndrew R. Juhasz Assistant Examiner-Gary L. Smith [22] Filed: Oct. 31, 1969 [2]] Appl. N0.:

g a lid having a bottle crusher built er incorporating a receptacle into e and held by a bottle holder after am against the bottle to crush the same, the broken bottle dropin o ama m hh kzw hh A .mww 949 BMW 191 4 4 2 m [52] U.S.Cl..... [51] Int. [58] Field g into the garbage can.

1 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures REFUSE CAN BOTTLE CRUSHER This invention relates generally to refuse or garbage cans. More specifically it relates to a refuse can lid.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a refuse can having a lid which incorporates a bottle crusher so that bottles being discarded may be first broken up into small parts thereby requiring less space within a refuse can.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a refuse can bottle crusher which is built into the lid of the refuse can and which does not in any way interfere with the other normal use thereof or the refuse can.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a refuse can bottle crusher which includes a receptacle into which a bottle may be placed, the receptacle having a closure cap so as to inclose the bottle during the crushing operation and prevent the scattering outwardly of broken glass.

Other objects and the present invention are to provide a refuse can bottle crusher which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will become readily evident upon a study of the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the placement of a bottle into the bottle crusher receptacle, and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view through the bottle crusher receptacle showing the present invention in operative use.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 10 represents a refuse can bottle crusher according to the present invention wherein there is a refuse can lid 11 of conventional type and which may be removably placed upon a garbage or refuse can 12.

The lid 11 includes an upwardly dished, circular top wall 13 surrounded by a downwardly depending flange or side wall 14 for placement over the upper end of the can 12. Centrally mounted upon the top wall 13, there is a cylindrically configurated receptacle 15 which is inserted through an opening 16 formed in the top wall 13, the receptacle 15 having a rubber gasket 17 placed there around and positioned directly against the side of the top wall 13. A closure lid or cover 18 is pivotable mounted over the upper end of the receptacle 15 by means of a hinge 19. A convenient grasp handle 20 is mounted on the upper side of the lid 18 for purpose of raising the same and gain access to the interior 21 of the receptacle. Preferably a tension spring may be incorporated together with the hinge 19 so that the lid 18 will automatically snap down into a closed position over the receptacle by action of the spring thereby normally maintaining the receptacle in closed position. Within the receptacle there is mounted a bottle holder 22 which is comprised of flat spring steel so that it is flexible. The bottle holder 22 may be attached to the side of the receptacle 15 by means of rivets 23, the lower end of the holder inwardly bent towards the center of the receptacle interior, and the lower end is furthermore bifurcated with legs 24 between which a bottle 25 is receivable and normally retained in the position as indicated in FIG. 6 after the lid 18 is closed.

A crushing mechanism 26 is mounted on the underside of the lid 11, the bottle crushing mechanism being operated by a pivotable lever 27 on the upper side of the lid 11 as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing. The lever 27 has a convenient knob 28 on the end thereof, the opposite end of the lever being attached to the upper end of a pin 29 which protrudes downwardly through the lid top wall 13, the pin having a crank arm 30 secured thereto by means of a transverse extending rivet 31, the outward end of the crank 30 being attached pivotably by means of a pin 32 to an end of a link 33 the opposite end of the link 33 being attached by means of a pin 34 to a slidable sleeve 35.

A tube 36 is mounted ridgedly by means of a weld 37 horizontally to a side of the receptacle 15, the tube 36 having a collar 38 placed there around, the collar and tube having a vertically extending opening transversently there through, this opening receiving a lower portion of the pin 29, the tube 36 and collar 38 accordingly serving as a fixed bearing within the pin 29 is pivotable.

Within the tube 36 there is a slidable ram 39 which extends into the bottle receptacle l5 and which is in alignment to be movable between the legs 24 of the bottle holder 22. A stop 40 may be formed of a metal ring that is welded on the inner side of the tube 36, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing, the stop 40 serving to retain one end of a compression coil spring 41, the opposite end of the compression coil spring 41 bearing against a shoulder 42 formed on the ram 39, the spring accordingly normally urging the ram inwardly to the bottle receptacle 15. It will now be readily evident that the plunger has a relatively narrow portion around which the spring 41 is fitted. A slot 43 is formed in the ram 39 so as to clear the pin 29 as the ram 39 is slideable within the tube 36. On opposite sides of the tube 36 there are provided a pair slots 44 through which a pin 45 secured to the ram 39 extends as shown at FIG. 3, the outer ends of the pin 45 being in alinement so to abut against the end of the sleeve 35.

In operative use, in normal use to discard garbage into the can 12, the lid 11 is lifted in a conventional manner so as to deposit the same into the can. However when a bottle is to be discarded, the lid 18 is pivoted upwardly by grasping the handle 20 after which the bottle 25 is deposited into the receptacle 15 as shown in FIG. 5. Thereafter the lid 18 closed by action of a spring, the bottle 25 being prevented from falling through the receptacle by being held between the fingers or legs 24 of the flexible bottle holder 22. Thereafter the lever 27 is pivoted in the direction as indicated by the arrow 46 which causes the pin 29 to rotate, thus causing the sleeve 35 to be retracted in the direction as indicated by arrow 47, the retractingly moving sleeve 35 picking up the pin 45 which thus causes the ram 39 to be retracted outwardly of the receptacle 15. After fully retracted, the lever 27 is released, thus causing the spring 41 to rapidly thrust the ram 39 forwardly as indicated by arrow 48 so as to cause the forward end of the plunger to ram against the side of the bottle 25 thus breaking it after which the glass particles 49 and bottle parts will drop through the bottle receptacle and downward into the can 12.

What we now claim is:

1. In a refuse can bottle crusher, the combination of a refuse can, a lid upon said can, a bottle crusher on said lid, said bottle crusher incorporating a bottle receptacle and a bottle crushing mechanism, said bottle receptacle comprising a vertically extending cylinder mounted through a top wall of said lid, an upper end of said cylinder having a hingedly secured lid there upon for closing the upper end of said cylinder, said cylinder lid being spring loaded to normally remain in a closed position over the upper end of said cylinder, and a bottle holder secured within said receptacle, said holder comprising a spring steel member having the lower end thereof extended into a center of said receptacle for grasping a bottle placed into said receptacle, said bottle mechanism comprising a tube affixed to an outer side of said receptacle, a slidable ram Within said tube, said ram being slidable into said receptacle, a pivotable lever located above a top wall of said refuse can lid, said lever driving a crank for moving a plunger mechanism so as to draw said ram rearwardly against the action of a compression coil spring which normally releases said ram into said bottle receptacle to crush said bottle when said lever is released, and said spring steel member within said receptacle being secured to a side of said cylindrical wall of said receptacle and which is on a same side through which said ram is slidable into said receptacle so that said bottle in crushing position is seated between said spring and a stationary opposite side of said receptacle so that said bottle is rigidly stationary when struck by said rarn for a full impact shot so to break said bottle. 

1. In a refuse can bottle crusher, the combination of a refuse can, a lid upon said can, a bottle crusher on said lid, said bottle crusher incorporating a bottle receptacle and a bottle crushing mechanism, said bottle receptacle comprising a vertically extending cylinder mounted through a top wall of said lid, an upper end of said cylinder having a hingedly secured lid there upon for closing the upper end of said cylinder, said cylinder lid being spring Loaded to normally remain in a closed position over the upper end of said cylinder, and a bottle holder secured within said receptacle, said holder comprising a spring steel member having the lower end thereof extended into a center of said receptacle for grasping a bottle placed into said receptacle, said bottle mechanism comprising a tube affixed to an outer side of said receptacle, a slidable ram within said tube, said ram being slidable into said receptacle, a pivotable lever located above a top wall of said refuse can lid, said lever driving a crank for moving a plunger mechanism so as to draw said ram rearwardly against the action of a compression coil spring which normally releases said ram into said bottle receptacle to crush said bottle when said lever is released, and said spring steel member within said receptacle being secured to a side of said cylindrical wall of said receptacle and which is on a same side through which said ram is slidable into said receptacle so that said bottle in crushing position is seated between said spring and a stationary opposite side of said receptacle so that said bottle is rigidly stationary when struck by said ram for a full impact shot so to break said bottle. 